Gov. Tina Kotek praised U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut’s ruling Saturday that found President Donald Trump’s federal mobilization of Oregon National Guard troops to Portland violated federal law.
Here’s what Kotek and others are saying:
Gov. Tina Kotek:
“Today’s ruling validates what Oregonians already know: justice has been served, and the truth has prevailed. I want to thank Attorney General Rayfield and his team for great work.
”There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. The only threat we face is to our democracy — and it is being led by President Donald Trump.
“From day one, Oregon has been prepared. Our coordinated, rapid response — from legal action to intergovernmental planning — has allowed us to stand firm against a baseless and dangerous federal overreach.
“While the President plays politics, Oregon will stay focused on solving the real problems facing our communities.
“This ruling puts us on the right side of history. And while the fight is far from over, Oregon remains united and ready to defend our values and our rights — today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes.
“Thank you – stay calm, stay together, stay strong.”
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson:
“Today, Portland got very good news: U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut hit the pause button on the Trump administration’s order to activate the National Guard and send federal troops to Portland.
“This decision reaffirms what we’ve long maintained: the federal government overstepped its authority. As the judge noted, we provided substantial evidence that the protests at the Portland ICE facility were not significantly violent or disruptive in the days—or even weeks—leading up to the President’s directive on September 27.
“Put simply, we won through peace. And we’ve shown we can hold those who engage in violence or destruction accountable.
“I’ve said from the very beginning, the number of federal troops needed or wanted in our city is zero.
“We accomplish more when we’re together, and we accomplish far more with peaceful, purposeful protest and legal process than we ever could by simply lashing out. We will continue to intervene when we see lawbreaking behavior, just as we’ll continue supporting the first amendment right to free expression.”
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield:
“The court agreed with our position. Today’s ruling is a healthy check on the president.
“It reaffirms what we already knew: Portland is not the president’s war-torn fantasy. Our city is not ravaged, and there is no rebellion. The president must demonstrate an actual threat based on real facts if he wants to put the National Guard on our streets. Members of the Oregon National Guard are not a tool for him to use in his political theater.”
Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and Commissioners Meghan Moyer and Julia Brim-Edwards:
“Today’s court decision — from a federal judge appointed by President Trump himself — affirms what we already knew: Deploying the military to Portland is not needed, because there is no foreign invasion or insurrection happening on our streets.
“The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners stands united against this administration’s authoritarian behavior. We will continue to provide services, hope and opportunity to so many of the people this administration has targeted. We will not be intimidated by bullying tactics, and we will lead with values that recognize our community’s diversity is our greatest strength.”
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon:
“Today’s victory clearly supports what Oregonians already know: we don’t need or want Donald Trump to provoke conflict by deploying federal troops in our state. I will keep working with local and state officials to ensure Trump does not keep wasting millions of taxpayer dollars to make Portland the center of his perverse fantasy about conducting assaults on U.S. cities.”
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon:
“There is no ‘rebellion’ or ‘invasion’ in PDX to justify federalizing Oregon’s National Guard.
“The president is not a king and Trump is shredding our Constitution.
“So let’s protest — but joyfully and peacefully. Do not get drawn into Trump’s cycle of violence. It’s his goal to cite violence to justify more authoritarian power. Let’s not let him achieve it.
“Let’s show that Portland is a strong community where neighbors take care of each other.”
U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Oregon:
“I am grateful today a judge granted a restraining order to block the National Guard from being deployed in Portland.
“But Trump’s lawless provocation will continue. Our response is simple: stay calm and do not take the bait. I encourage everyone to continue exercising their right to peaceful protest, but for your safety, to do so away from the ICE building in SW Portland.”
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon:
“A federal judge in Portland just granted the State of Oregon and City of Portland’s request for a Temporary Restraining Order to block the Trump administration from sending the National Guard to Portland. That’s good news. Portland does not need or want the military on our streets or in our communities.”
U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Oregon:
“This ruling confirms what I’ve been saying: we don’t need this. Now the President should drop this nonsense and run us our money.”
Sandy Chung, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon:
“We applaud today’s decision. Judge Immergut’s ruling is consistent with the law and the facts on the ground in Portland. Not only would deployment of our state’s National Guard members waste up to $10 million in taxpayer dollars, there is simply no basis to deploy troops into Portland. The President’s attempt to do so is a dangerous abuse of power, and very disrespectful of our state, its people, and our National Guard service members.”
Hina Shamsi, director of ACLU’s National Security Project:
“As the founders of this country made abundantly clear, turning troops on civilians is an intolerable threat to our liberties. Even when the Ninth Circuit applied an overly-deferential standard to the President’s decision to deploy troops in Los Angeles, it said that the decision must be made in good faith and honest judgment. Today, the district court found both were missing in the President’s decision to deploy troops to Portland. When President Trump is trying his best to imperil our First Amendment rights and scare those protesting his cruel policies into silence, it’s encouraging to see this court ruling based on adherence to law and facts, not the President’s fantasies of beautiful, vibrant American cities as hellscapes.”
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